My family has had a dog for my entire life, and I believe that this has helped to shape part of who I am as a person. Since, I was born I have had 4 dogs in my life and each one has brought with it a new chance for learning. Each of these dogs have enriched my life in a way that nothing else has. In today’s blog post I will be sharing the benefits of owning a dog and why I believe ALL people should own a dog in their life. But, before we jump in, make sure to that you follow my Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get more updates from me on my day to day life.
**As a disclaimer, I love all animals and am not opposed to people having a cat, fish, or something else. But, I personally don’t have any experiences to share on this topic, thus why I am speaking for my love of dogs.
Benefit #1 – Dogs Make You Exercise More
Dogs require a lot of exercise, and so in turn you will also get a lot of exercise. It is no secret that puppies are very energetic and require a lot of attention and time. Therefore, you will be using a lot of energy to keep up with this little bundle of joy. Whether it may be walking, playing, or running all over the house, a dog will definitely help you to get active.
Personally, I think that if it weren’t for my dog I would not leave my house to go for a walk all winter. It can be hard to brace the harsh Canadian winters alone, but when you see your dog get so excited to go for a walk, you can’t help but be happy too.
Benefit #2 – Dogs Help You to Never Feel Alone
It can be a very lonely world, but with the help of a dog you can feel safe and protected at all times. My dog never leaves my side, and so this helps me to feel safe and protected in my house and while walking outside.
For those of you living with a chronic illness, a dog is a great companion. There have been many days and nights laying on the couch or in my bed in pain, but my dog(s) have always been by my side. They help to boost your mood and help to make you feel less alone.
Benefit #3 – Dogs Lower Your Anxiety & Depression
There have been many studies that show that dogs decrease your stress levels, and thus decrease your likelihood of anxiety. Playing with your dog or even just petting your dog has been known to calm people and settle down any nerves or anxiety.
Studies have also shown that pet owners with depression are often much less depressed than other people without pets. This is because animals help you to give you greater responsibility and help to make you feel less alone.
Benefit #4 – Dogs Increase Cardiovascular Health
As I stated before, your dog will encourage you to be physically active and to get moving everyday. This will help with your cardiovascular health. But, other studies have also shown that owning a pet will help to decrease blood pressure. When you are interacting with your dog it has been proven that levels of Oxytocin increase in the brain which helps lower levels of stress and puts you in a better mood.
Benefit #5 – Dogs Help You to Live in the Moment
Dogs have a quality that help us to stop whatever we are doing and focus on them. For example, whenever I come home from school, no matter what kind of day I have had, my dog is always there waiting for me at the top of stairs. He is happy, wagging his tail and excited to see me. At this point I can’t help but drop what I am doing and play with him or pet him. It may be some sort of chemical reaction similar to the ones noted in the studies above, or it may be because dogs are so darn cute. But, whatever it may be, dogs definitely do make us stop and live in the moment.
Benefit #6 – Dogs Lower Your Risk of Allergies
Because of the pet dander and the allergens that often attach themselves to pet hair, this can increase your exposure to allergens. Therefore, this will decrease your risk of allergies because you are being exposed to more allergens on a regular basis. Having this kind of exposure to allergens has also been shown to be extremely beneficial for children. However, according to many studies, early exposure to allergens is key. It has been proven that infants age 0-3 show the greatest reduction in allergy risk when exposed to animals at a young age.
Benefit #7 – Dogs Teach You Responsibility
Dogs can be A LOT of work, especially when they are little. Because of this, dogs teach you a new level of responsibility. They teach you how to care for something/someone other than yourself. Dogs require feeding, grooming, walking, loving, and care. Therefore, it is almost like a little test before becoming a real parent. (I know that you can’t compare being a “dog parent” to a “real parent”, but you all get what I mean here haha)
Benefit #8 – Dogs Make You Laugh
How many times have you seen your dog or another dog do something ridiculous or funny? I for one, definitely have witnessed my dog(s) do some crazy things throughout my life. It is moments like these that show you the joy of dog ownership. The moments where you can’t stop laughing, the moments where you can’t stop smiling, or the moments where you feel so grateful to have a dog. These are the moments that remind you why you have a dog to begin with. These moments are the reason I have a dog, and if all of the above reasons I have mentioned end up being invalid, I will still believe that pet ownership is worth it.
I hope that you enjoyed today’s post and that it gave you some insight into my perspective on how dogs can really change your life and make it better. If you enjoyed the post make sure to share it with a friend and subscribed to my blog to get email updates every time I post. Also be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get more updates from me on my day to day life.
Your trusty, gutsy gal,
Nathalie xx
P.S. go give your dog a big squeeze for me
P.P.S. click the links below if you want a good laugh or a pick me up
Gutsy Feeling 
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